After gas line disaster, Boston city councilor expresses renewed concern over leaks

After gas line disaster, Boston city councilor expresses renewed concern over leaks

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Updated: 6:34 PM EDT Sep 19, 2018

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WEBVTT BECAUSE BOSTON HAS SOME OF THE OLDEST INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COUNTRY. BUT I DIDN’T INTRODUCE THIS TO CREATE A FALSE PANIC, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN MERRIMACK COULD HAPPEN IN BOSTON. >> A GAS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED INTO LAW THAT WOULD OF REDUCE GAS LEAKS AND HARMFUL EMISSIONS AND IMPROVE INFORMATION SHARING. TWO YEARS LATER, THE CITY LAW IS STALLED. WITH THE BEST TOP OF MIND, COUNSELORS AGAIN CALLED ATTENTION TO THE PRESSING ISSUE TODAY BEFORE HUNDREDS O LOCKOUT NATIONAL GRID WORKERS. >> THERE’S ONE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET THAT WAS 30 YEARS OLDER COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BEFORE SIX. >> IN FACT THERE ARE THOUSANDS IN BOSTON ALONG. THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. >> THEY EMIT A PRIMARILY, WHICH IS A GREENHOUSE GAS, SO THAT THE IMPACT ON THE EMISSIONS OF THE STATE IS BASICALLY THE EQUIVALENT OF ALL OF OUR STORES AND BUSINESSES. >> THE PRESIDENT OF HE SAYS THE EVIDENCE OF THAT IS ALL AROUND US. THEY SAID THE LEASE, WHEN A CITY STREET IS OPENED BY ANOTHER UTILITY, BY WATER, SEWER, OR CABL NO -- KNOWN GASTRIC SHOULD BE ADDRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY BUT ALSO SAY WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT MOVING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS SOONER, RATHER THAN LATER. >> WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE PIPE AND EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCE INTO OUR HOME AND LIGHT IT ON FIRE. >> IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT LEAKS HAVE NOT BEEN LINKED TO WHAT HAPPENED ON THE NORTH SHORE. YOU CAN FIND A MAP OF LEAKS IN YOUR AREA ON OUR WEBSITE.

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After gas line disaster, Boston city councilor expresses renewed concern over leaks

In the wake of the deadly Merrimack Valley disaster, a Boston city councilors is expressing concerns about their city's natural gas infrastructure.

"I didn't introduce this to create a false panic, but I do think we need to recognize the fact that what happened in the Merrimac Valley could happen in Boston," said City Councilor Matt O'Malley, who introduced a gas ordinance two years ago.

The ordinance was passed, but remains stalled two years later because of a lawsuit filed by National Grid.

With natural gas top of mind this week, councilors again called attention to the issue. This time, they spoke in front of hundreds of National Grid workers locked out in the ongoing union dispute.

"There are gas leaks that have been around for years if not decades," O'Malley said. "There was one right down the street that was 30 years old a couple of years ago before it was fixed."

In fact, there are thousands of leaks in Boston alone. Several are not considered to be potentially explosive and therefore aren't required to be addressed immediately.

"These emit methane primarily, which is a greenhouse gas that is extremely potent so that the impact on the emissions on the state is basically the equivalent of all of our stores and businesses," said Audrey Schulman, president of the Home Energy Efficiency Team.

Both Schulman and O'Malley say that at the very least, known leaks should be addressed whenever a city street is opened by any utility. They also suggest moving away from fossil fuels.

"I think, given what happened last week, we should all think about the fact that we pipe an explosive substance into our home and light it on fire," Schulman said.